PEACE WALK

VREDESWANDELING De Vredesweek is organized annually around the Internationale Dag of Peace (September 21). It calls for active connection and taking a stand against injustice and exclusion. The initiative brings together hundreds of local debates, cultural events, and meetings throughout the Netherlands and Flanders. Peace Week 2026 takes place from Saturday, September 19 to Sunday, September 27. The central theme for this year is again "Doing nothing is not an option". On the occasion of Peace Week 2026, we cordially invite you to a special peace walk through the historic heart of Bruges. Former UN top official, diplomat, author, and Hello Bruges guide Jan Vandemoortele will take you on September 19 along places and monuments that make us reflect on peace, tolerance, human rights, and international cooperation. He talks about facts, commemorative moments, and people who try to achieve peace. Jan is the author of 'Walk 13 - Bruges, city for peace' by UWG (Uitgaven West-Vlaamse Gidsenkring). The walk starts at the peace pole of Mié Tabé in the Katelijnestraat. This peace pole carries a universal message that connects people all over the world: the desire for peace for all peoples. The peace pole was restored in 2025. From there, we head to the site of Oud Sint-Jan, where the impressive PAX statue by Octave Rotsaert invites us to reflect on the vulnerability and the power of peace. In the small park behind Gruuthuse, we meet Juan Luis Vives, the famous humanist who already advocated for dialogue and cooperation between the peoples of Europe in the sixteenth century. His ideas turn out to be surprisingly relevant today. Subsequently, we discover the story of the College of Europe, which has been bringing young people from all over Europe together since 1949 with one clear ambition: to contribute to sustainable peace and mutual understanding on our continent. In doing so, we meet the visionary figures who were at the basis of this project: Father Karel Verleye, Salvador de Madariaga, and Hendrik Brugmans. Along the way, the guide also talks about the lesser-known, but particularly inspiring Roerich Vredespact, an international initiative for the protection of cultural heritage in times of conflict. The Peace Flag and the commitment of Camille Tulpinck are also discussed. Op de Burg we focus our attention on Mayors for Peace, the global network of cities committed to nuclear disarmament and a peaceful future. A little further on, in the Cordoeaniersstraat, we meet Markies de Villaobar, the Spanish diplomat who managed to save numerous lives during the Eerste Wereldoorlog. The walk also brings us to the reception center for asylum seekers in the Vlamingstraat. Here we reflect on contemporary challenges surrounding migration, refugees, and human dignity. The guide also talks about the work of the Bruges non-profit organization Huizen van Vrede, which supports recognized refugees in their search for a home and a new future. We conclude in the Sint-Jorisstraat, where the so-called stumbling stones confront us with the victims of persecution and war. We reflect, among other things, on the stories of Hector Joye and Xavier della Faille, whose names are permanently anchored in the Bruges streetscape today. Their life stories remind us how precious freedom and peace are. This peace walk is more than a historical voyage of discovery. It is an invitation to reflect on the many faces of peace: peace between countries, between cultures, between people, and in our own society. Walk along and be inspired by Bruges stories that show that peace is not a matter of course, but a task for all of us. Praktisch Op September 19 we are organizing peace walks. These take place at 10:00 AM and at 2:30 PM. The walk begins in the garden of the Stedelijke Academie (Katelijnestraat 86), ends at the former State Normal School (Sint-Jorisstraat 71), and is approximately 2.2 km long. The tours last one and a half to two hours. The number of available places is limited! Attention: this walk is a repetition of the short walk of May 8, 2025! Participating costs €10.